Photo Credit: San Diego Sector Public Information Office

Graduates of the CBP EMT program save lives while protecting America.

In June 2004, Supervisory Border Patrol Agents Michelle Albertson, Craig Dill and Scott Maisonet of Border Patrol Search, Trauma and Rescue (BORSTAR) had an idea to start an emergency medical technician (EMT) program at the federal level. The main purpose of the program was to save the government money. Secondly, by having EMT-Basic instructors within CBP Border Patrol, the program could be geared to meet Border Patrol needs. The first class began in May 2006, and included 15 Border Patrol agents and two CBP officers from the San Ysidro port of entry. The class graduated in June 2006 with 100 percent of the class successfully passing the National Registry EMT-B exam on the first attempt. The second class began in September 2006 with 12 CBP Border Patrol agents, three CBP officers from the San Ysidro port of entry and one CBP officer from the Tecate port of entry. The class graduated in November 2006 and once again, 100 percent of the class successfully passed the National Registry EMT-B exam on the first attempt. Having EMT-Basic instructors within the CBP Border Patrol is a value to the United States, and provides a benefit to the CBP Border Patrol as well.